Award description

Established in 2022, this annual award is a way to show the Society's appreciation for our Student Chapters and their critical contributions to the optics and photonics community. The recipient will be an SPIE Student Chapter that demonstrates an exceptional level of participation, enthusiasm, program quality, professionalism, and involvement in their institution, the local community, and the larger SPIE community. Further emphasis is placed on robust outreach to undergraduate students, community service, increased technical education efforts, and developing an engaged — and engaging — chapter community. The recipient chapter will be presented with the award at SPIE Optics + Photonics in its recipient year. In order to facilitate attendance, the award covers travel and accommodation costs (up to $2,000 per person), as well as conference registration fees, for three representatives from the recipient Student Chapter, and conference registration fees for the chapter’s advisor. Chapter representatives must have been active in the chapter during the year of the annual report that earned the recognition and be current Student or Early Career Members at the time of SPIE Optics + Photonics award presentation.

NCKU SPIE Student Chapter Wins 2025 Presidential Award for Outstanding Student Chapter — First in Asia

The NCKU SPIE Student Chapter, formed by students from the Department of Photonics at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), has been dedicated to promoting optical science and actively participating in various science outreach activities for many years. Standing out among over 300 student chapters worldwide, it has been awarded the prestigious 2025 SPIE Presidential Award for Outstanding Student Chapter. This marks the first time a student chapter from Asia has received this honor since the award's establishment in 2022.

The SPIE headquarters will formally recognize the NCKU SPIE Student Chapter at the SPIE Optics + Photonics Conference in San Diego, USA, in August 2025. Students have been invited to attend, exchange experiences with global optics and photonics experts and peers, and share Taiwan's creativity and achievements in science outreach.

According to statistics, the NCKU SPIE Student Chapter organized more than 10 optical science outreach events in 2024, ranging from basic optics enlightenment for elementary school students to specially designed experimental activities for female high school students, including outreach to rural areas. These efforts attracted approximately 10,000 participants, significantly enhancing public interest and awareness of optical sciences. Chapter members also actively participated in company visits, inter-university exchanges, and expert lectures, promoting personal growth and professional development.

Professor Wei-Chi Lai, Chair of the Department of Photonics, stated: "To broaden students' international perspectives and academic exchange capabilities, the department has long supported the SPIE Student Chapter’s diverse activities. In addition to financial support, we have also provided a dedicated space for students to develop lesson plans, create teaching aids, and organize events—an unprecedented initiative among photonics departments across Taiwan. Science outreach is not just a way of communicating science but also a means to cultivate students’ comprehensive abilities and sense of social responsibility. With such support, we hope our students will continue to showcase the energy of Taiwanese youth in science communication and innovation on the international optics stage, building meaningful global connections."

Chapter Advisor Professor Hsu-Cheng Hsu highlighted: "The NCKU SPIE Student Chapter has long been committed to photonics outreach, from National Tainan Girls' Senior High School and National Tainan Chia-Chi Senior High School to rural middle and elementary schools. Students independently design lesson plans and teaching aids, transforming abstract optical principles into tangible, hands-on learning experiences. They have shown remarkable initiative and a strong desire to give back to society. This is not just about promoting science but conveying a deeper value—using knowledge to serve others and using light to illuminate the future for more people."

Chapter President Hsiu-Chen Ko expressed: "This award is the result of the collective efforts and dedication of all our members. Over the years, we have engaged in various science outreach activities, discovering and nurturing many promising talents, especially proud of the leadership demonstrated by our female members. We sincerely thank our professors, fellow students, the College of Science's Science Education Center, and Dean Chin-Chun Tsai for their long-term support and encouragement. With their trust and backing, we have been able to steadily promote our initiatives, embrace challenges, and keep moving forward. We firmly believe that the world has already begun to change because of our efforts." The NCKU Student Chapter has had female presidents for 3 consecutive years, and female members account for more than half of the team. They actively engage in planning and implementation, continuously raising the visibility and influence of women in STEM fields.

Every year, the chapter visits the science research clubs at National Tainan Girls' Senior High School and National Tainan Chia-Chi Senior High School, conducting optical experiments with high school students. This year, Professors Yu-Hsun Chou, Pin-Chieh Wu, and Hsu-Cheng Hsu led 12 chapter members in teaching an experiment themed "The Phenomenon of Light Polarization," guiding students to observe changes in light and learn to apply scientific methods for experimental design, data recording, and result analysis.

The NCKU SPIE Student Chapter also participated in the College of Science’s "Science Avenue Science Expo" and the 64th National Primary & High School Science Fair, setting up a science market booth to showcase teaching aids such as polarized glasses, polarization paintings, plasma balls, and LED fans, each attracting nearly a thousand parents and children. The chapter has maintained active exchanges with the SPIE Student Chapter at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. In 2023, NCKU hosted the OPTIC 2023 International Conference, where the SPIE Student Chapter also organized the SPIE Taiwan Student Chapters Meeting, demonstrating excellent organizational and communication skills.

SPIE (The International Society for Optics and Photonics), founded in 1955 and headquartered in Washington, USA, is one of the world’s most influential international academic organizations in the field of optics and photonics. The SPIE Optics + Photonics Annual Conference is the society’s flagship event held every summer in San Diego, California, focusing on cutting-edge fields such as optical engineering, photonic materials, nanotechnology, and biomedical photonics.

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